This invention relates to a blower device for a snow thrower and more particularly to an improved blower arrangement that improves the efficiency of the snow thrower and which reduces the likelihood of excess snow becoming clogged in the blower casing.
One popular form of snow blower employes an auger housing that is open at the front and in which an auger rotates about a generally horizontally disposed axis. The function of the auger is to collect snow from the ground and to transfer it to a discharge area. There is further provided a blower casing behind the auger housing in which a blower rotates about an axis that is disposed generally transversely to the axis of the and which throws the snow collected from the blower through a discharge chute. In connection with these arrangements, the blower casing generally has a rectangular cross-sectional view in planes containing the axis of the blower rotation and an opening communicates this casing with the auger housing which opening is substantially coxetensive with the height of the blower casing. FIGS. 1 through 3 show a conventional prior art construction of this type.
Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 through 3, a snow blower, indicated generally by the reference numeral 11 is comprised of a main driving portion 12 that is driven along the ground in a suitable manner as by a drive belt 13 powered by an internal combustion engine of any known type. A handlebar assembly 14 is incorporated for control of the snow blower 11.
Positioned at the front of the snow blower 11 is an auger housing 15 in which an auger 16 is rotatably journaled about horizontally extending axis. It should be noted that the front of the auger housing 15 provides a forwardly facing opening 17 in which snow can be collected by the auger and delivered to a central portion therein.
This central portion is connected by means of an exit opening 18 with the interior of a blower casing 19. A blower 21 journaled for rotation within the blower casing 19 and is driven, like the auger 16 from the powering engine of the snow blower 11 in a suitable manner. The snow collected and thrown by the blower 21 is discharged through a discharge chute 22.
As may be seen, particularly by reference to FIG. 1, the exit opening 18 is of substantially the same external diameter as that of the blower casing 19. As a result, this opening overlaps the peripheral edges of the blower 21 and a portion of the snow blown by the blower 21 will reenter the auger housing as shown in the arrows in FIG. 1. It should be noted that the problem arises in the area indicated by the letter A in FIG. 1 wherein the pressure side of the blower casing 19 registers with the exit opening 18.
A further problem with this conventional type of snow blower is also the rectangular configuration of the blower blades and the blower casing 19. As seen in FIG. 3, this results in a generally square cross-sectional area and snow can pack up as shown by the area S along the entire width of the blower casing. This occurs because there must be some clearance between the ends of the blower blades and the interior of the casing 19. However, as this snow accummulates and builds up, there is the possibility of the blower 21 striking it and actually stalling the operation of the snow blower 11.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved snow blower that will insure against loss of efficiency.
It is a yet further object of this invention to provide a snow blower wherein snow blown by the blower portion will not reenter the auger portion.
It is a yet further object of this invention to provide an improved configuration for the blower that tends to reduce the amount of snow that can accumulate within the blower casing.